1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for treating the extracellular heteropolysaccharide produced by the bacterium Arthrobacter stabilis so as to increase its viscosity in aqueous solutions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Isolation of the A. stabilis organism from garden soil, its characterization, and culturing procedures for polysaccharide production are taught by Gill in U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,570, herein incorporated by reference.
The polysaccharide has several potential uses including that of a thickening and suspending agent in aqueous solutions. It is compatible with various solutes, e.g., salts, acids, and cations, and is even characterized by large increases in viscosity in their presence. However, inherent low viscosity (about 300 cps. at 0.5% concentration) of the highly purified native form limits the usefulness of the polysaccharide.